Chessington Howl'o'ween

[Mitchada04]

After a lot of doubt about whether or not I would make it to HHP this year, I finally got to visit today (albeit only till 4pm) and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed! So here's a little review of everything:

Music: I love the music that they were playing around the park, very simple yet very effective. The Mystery of Hocus Pocus' music is also amazing when it's being blasted out of the Manor!

Lighting: Whilst I didn't actually see it in use I was keeping an eye out for lights and 95% of them had coloured filters on which were aimed upwards to light up ride supports. There were also some nice blue lights wrapped around many of the trees. So as per usual, I can only imagine the lighting looked superb!

Theming: This is the one area they lacked in this year. Previous years they've had pumpkins everywhere which looked quite good, but now they are limited to the entrances and the odd garden bed. Shame as I loved the mass of pumpkins on the sphinx's outside Tomb Blaster.

The Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall: This was by far the biggest surprise of the day! You really do forget what it used to be once you're in there, the changes are amazing and actually make this worthwhile. The story line is solid, effects good and actors great as always. Definitely worth it. It's not aimed to be scary, more mysterious and it does that very well and the target audience seemed to be loving it.

Before entering, you get put into a group of 10 and are briefed about what will happen etc. Instantly you notice the change with the new Stub Manor sign on the entrance arch and gates.

The door opens and an over excited explorer greets you. You enter and notice how different the room is. The story of Sir Arthur and his explorations is given and the emerald that is said to have made him go missing. Suddenly, the emerald appears and some amazing projection mapping starts the mystery off and opens the secret passage way. You are guided down this very dark, low draped corridor to a vault. The explorer then puts the emerald on the vault and it opens to reveal this magical portal with moving walls. This is where the explorer leaves you and your group ventures through to another world.

You are first greeted by Cleopatra who is curious as to how we got there as no one ever goes that way. Then she realises it's to do with the emerald and she starts telling you about the danger and the last person (Sir Arthur) never made it out. With luck wished, a quick look at the theming, and a crackling laugh you enter the jungle.

Very well themed again and the foliage is quite clever as it's very dense so brushes up against you which could make you think that it's an actor. The guardian of the Kobra then stands in front of you, and he tells you the dangers of the forest again just adding to the story and interacting with everyone. He gives you a shortcut through the forest to what becomes the ocean.

At first, it looks like an atlantis due to the portraits but then you see a pirates flag and realise it's to do with them. Effects are used well here to make you feel like you're actually on a boat at sea. The pirate actor tells us how we can't make it out, we're trapped and that he's going to use us to get out by taking our souls. Quite a dark intense section out of all of the Manor which was good. Then before he takes our souls Sir Arthur saves you.

He leads you away from the oceans and towards the emerald itself. He explains how whilst he can't escape he might be able to save us but we have to walk through the emerald. This is basically the mirror maze with some green lasers dotted around.

Overall very clever and keeps well to the story provided.

Something else I noticed, the mummy on Tomb Blaster that opens the chest was holding this massive green emerald and I don't remember that so I think they've added that in to link with the story!

Vampire: The Haunting in the Hollows: I loved this last year and it didn't disappoint this year! It is pretty much unchanged but I'm not complaining because it doesn't really need changing. It has the perfect mix of humour, storyline, suspense and jump scares. It is pretty intense in places and many children around 8 were quite scared at parts and I'm not surprised it is very intense towards the end. The finale also felt better this year due to an extra actor compared to my run last year and a bit more of pace throughout it other than slowly walking through it so this offered a nice chase element. I was gutted not to be able to do it in dusk/dark this year as that really is amazing but it is still amazing in daylight!

So overall another great event and I really hope that with The Hollows and Mystery of Hocus Pocus we might get a third maze next year but even if we don't as long as those two return I will be very happy! Yes Chessington has had a bad year but that shouldn't put you off going to this event! All of the actors (as per every year) were great and I hope all of the positive reviews reflect this as it should be commended.

Now to see if Blair Witch is weaker than The Haunting in the Hollows

[OldFarmerDean]

It is pretty intense in places and many children around 8 were quite scared at parts and I'm not surprised it is very intense towards the end. is amazing but it is still amazing in daylight!

I was scared of it last year... definitely had better scares than thorpes mazes!

[Kerfuffle]

Went to Chessie today...and had a DAMM good one! It felt so good riding Vampire and Dragon's Fury ect. again and the mazes were AMAZING!!! I seriously can't decide which is better between 'VAMPIRE: Haunting in the Hollows' and 'Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall'!

All I have to say is...SCREW FRIGHT NIGHTS...GO TO HOCUS POCUS!

[Cornflakes]

Hocus Pocus really was fantastic, blew Fright Nights out of the water. Mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall is excellent in almost every way, Haunting in the Hollows was still great. Parkwide lighting was fantastic. Brilliant event.

[J.S217]

This event was brilliant I have to say Mystery of Hocus Pocus Stunning. would like to see a few more actors inside it,although the themeing inside was super (at parts I was like is this still hocus pocus) also the really epic details/easter eggs in side, are brilliant . Haunting in the Hollows OMG I screamed so much at points, it can rival Asylum or dare I say it even Cabin In the Woods. also the little details like Stoker street and the very good interactivity. (Werewolves )

[Coaster]

Wish I went there today - Fright Nights was awful today!!

[Kerfuffle]

Fright Nights was awful today!!

Took you long to figure that out!

[OldFarmerDean]

Once again, Halloween Hocus Pocus beats Fright Nights & Scarefest - best lighting, best atmosphere, best halloween attractions! need I say more...

Barely seen any normal colour (or generator) floodlights, and once again Black Buccaneer looked amazing.

I think it's absolutely brilliant what they have done with Hocus Pocus Hall, and how they managed to change/disguise the inside so well considering I remember what it was like from doing it a few months back), excellent actors - the same could be said about the Haunting In The Hollows walkthrough (didn't have a good of an experience as last year), but definitely could see a few improvements, and effort put in to it!

Although the park wide themeing wasn't as good as Scarefest, it just seemed to have the overal best atmosphere in my opinion.

Before anyone says anything, in no way is it the best park, it is third to Thorpe, and then Alton... but just really love their halloween events, and hope they keep up the good work - won't bother going in to the things that annoy me about the park in general, as everyone else does that easily enough!

[Merry-go-girl]

How were the crowds/queuing?

[OldFarmerDean]

My dad had a disabled pass... But having been 4 times in half term week for Halloween hocus pocus (2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013), I would say the park was very quiet.

I did go Monday (after the storm that seem to hit London the worst), so guessing that put a lot of people off going... All the tall rides (which was every rollercoaster, even kobra) didn't open til about 1/2 in the afternoon due to apparently more strong winds coming in (which never happened) so the maintenance couldn't go up to test them. Also the mazes opened late due to actors not being able to get in as trains were cancelled/delayed.

Even with all this closed... Up to about 1 pm the queues on the rides that were open (which was'nt that many) had big queues, which is expected, but seemed to be about the same as a fully operational day in Halloween hocus pocus in past years!

Also did Thorpe Park Tuesday which seemed relatively quiet in comparison to fright nights at the same time in previous years (having been half term week for past 5 years)... And legoland yesterday, was very busy as always, although what was weird was that the park seemed packed and at times struggled to walk around, but the ride queues didn't seem that bad.

[insider9150]

Visited chessington yesterday, and found that the park was extremely busy, q`s for the bigger rides were over 90min long and the haunts had very long q`s. The evening was fantastic with the usual amazing lighting around the park. It seems that this gets better every year.

[dragon2000]

Went to Chessington on Tuesday, full trip report here:

http://forum.maniahub.com/topic/87-chessington-trip-reports/page-31

Quick summary:

Day was very busy!

Ride queues typically 45mins+

Lunch at Pizza Pasta, yum!

Looked around Trail of the Kings and watched the sealion presentation - excellent.

Hocus Pocus Hall transformation was good but had a massive 75mins for it due to the popularity, priority pass users and low capacity.

Vampire being incredibly slow loading and dispatching, took up most of the night riding time stuck in it's queue.

Dragon's Fury to end the day once it reopened from a breakdown in the evening, good end.

Pretty disappointed with the amount I got to do at the park. Compared to a trip to Thorpe Park earlier this week we did 6 rides (2 in the dark) + 1 haunt + 30mins in the zoo at Chessington VS 15+ rides (5 in the dark) + 1 haunt at Thorpe Park.

Having queues of 60mins+ at closing time really shows Chessington that they should be opening past 7pm - back to 9pm would be good!

The park looks excellent at night, probably spending the most effort/money on the additional lighting of all the Merlin parks - ironic seeing as they have the fewest dark opening hours!

[Merry-go-girl]

It's weird to think that Chessington's Halloween (oct 31st) event is over now, considering the evening has only just begun.

[pluk]

It's depressing to think that Chessington's Halloween (oct 31st) event is over now, considering the evening has only just begun.

[Merry-go-girl]

When I made that post I'd just come in from a dog walk and I could hear trick-or-treaters making their way through the village, their nights were just beginning and Chessington's was already over. It did seem quite naff.

[Matt 236]

Although things could change, the 2014 Hocus Pocus have now been released on the park's calendar, and look very similar to this years opening hour wise anyway.

The event will last 16 days which is the same as this year, however the petty 7pm park closing time still seems to be in place for the event, with the first 6 days also retaining the 5pm closures.

[Kerfuffle]

Found this on YouTube a couple of days ago...I was in this group, along with a few other TPM members:

SPOILER ALERT: Do not watch if you wish to expect the unexpected next year!

[EC!]

Chessington Halloween Hocus Pocus has a new name and it is........

 

I hope I get a chance to experience Chessie's halloween event this year

[Benin]

Wonder if you'll be able to ride things at night this year?

 

Must be said, their mazes last year were excellent...

[Mitchada04]

Well the opening times over half term week have returned to 8pm.

I guess a rebrand is due since Hocus Pocus Hall Bewitched has changed. They don't really need to do anything to this event in my eyes as it's already really good, maybe just another maze and a good show.

[Matt 236]

Sounds exciting and full of potential plus I did think the Hocus Pocus brand was starting to get a little outdated.

Very glad ride closings gave reverted back to 8pm because it used to close pretty much when when Halloween began and also means more time for night riding again, considering it doesn't get dark til 5-6pm. Really hope I can make a visit to one this year as from I heard last year the event was fantastic especially Black Forest Haunt and Mystery Of Hocus Pocus.

[HermanTheGerman]

I guess a rebrand is due since Hocus Pocus Hall Bewitched has changed.

Either that or it's the new marketing director!

[Merry-go-girl]

Thank god I picked up a Halloween Hocus Pocus pop bagde last month, now it's retro. 

[Kerfuffle]

Sounds great, but I can't help but to think that they're just doing a Busch Gardens rip-off!

[Mitchada04]

Sounds great, but I can't help but to think that they're just doing a Busch Gardens rip-off!

Not really. Howl-O-Scream uses dashes, not apostrophes. But seriously, that event is heavily aimed at the older market where as this will be entirely family based. At least it's easier to say that Halloween Hocus Pocus and is a bit of fun with the word play. If the event gets stronger then Chessie are onto a winner as their mazes at Halloween are brill as is the lighting and quite often the park wide theming effort. Bring back the trick or treat doors and I'll be more than happy!